Theme: FOR score and seven puzzles ago...
In our second offering from Mr. Hornung (not Paul) we have FOR added to the first word of an in the language phrase, creating a new and amusingly clued phrase. The first three all are attached to words beginning with "G" - the last not. We remain in our current pattern of average word length of less than 5 letters on Friday. Some good intermediate fill like ANGELO, GLOBES, GOTCHA, HEAPED, ORWELL, PHOTOG,, DISSUADE, LOVE SEAT, LOOKING ON, TAX REFUND. When you are adding three letters it limits the choices and I think these themes are all amusing.
20A. Advice to a shaken quarterback? : FORGET THE SACK (13). Being sacked (fired) is worse than being tackled behind the line.
27A. Eschew a potassium source? : FORGO BANANAS (12). From losing it to restricting your diet.
43A. Excuse that last jeer? : FORGIVE A HOOT (12). This CAMPAIGN came to mind.
53A. Take a vow of silence? : FORSWEAR WORDS (13). My favorite fill and for many not using the f word would keep them silent.
Across:
1. Hogwarts co-founder Hufflepuff : HELGA. Not a devotee of Harry (Potter or Prince) but the alliteration seemed logical.
6. Claimed in court : PLED. I hope this debate has been put to bed, if not I will feel...
10. In a funk : GLUM.
14. Betelgeuse's constellation : ORION. If I were to go back to college now I would study Astronomy as this all is very fascinating. The STAR is not named after a Michael Keaton movie.
15. Pad opening : HELI. No go to this week.
16. Exude : OOZE.
17. Rue Morgue killer : ORANG. Spoiler alert! The murderer in the very first 'officla' mystery from Mr. Poe. I do not understand why we need CHIMP, ORANG etc. Are we HUMA?
18. Stout trees : OAKS. Last week staid elms, this week....
19. Considerable effort : TOIL. The syntax seems off, though I toiled and I put forth considerable effort and filled.
23. Prom attendees: Abbr. : SRS. Seniors.
24. Language of Southeast Asia : LAO. Similar in structure to Thai, which I am learning very slowly. LINK. More language in 36A. Where some natives speak Azeri or Luri : IRAN. I personally favor Persian, but if you want to know more. LINK 2.
25. Square : UNHIP. Be there or be square.
31. King's downfall : MATE. Really cute misleading visual clue.
34. Style : MODE.
35. Grissom on "CSI" : GIL. William Petersen is long gone and after starring on the number show on TV is now back on WGN original SERIES.
37. Feudal lord : LIEGE.
39. Singer commonly seen wearing sunglasses : BONO.
40. Site for aspiring idols : FOX. The network of the fading American Idol.
41. "Star Trek" race : BORG. They had Jean-Luc Picard for a while.
42. Throw in a chip : ANTE.
48. Big fight : MELEE.
49. Balancing aid : EAR. If you want to LEARN.
50. Indian state known for its beaches: GOA.
57. Musical souvenir : STUB. Tricky; how may have used Stub Hub?
59. Russell's "Tombstone" role : EARP. Wyatt.
60. They're heavier than foils : EPEES.
61. You may look through one : PANE.
62. Luyendyk of auto racing : ARIE. There are two, a senior and junior. I could not find a picture of them together.
63. Discovered accidentally : LIT ON. A vague Friday; HIT ON appealed to me.
64. Puts in : ADDS.
65. Put up, in a way : TEED. Also tricky, on a small stick.
66. Isn't straight : LEANS. Pisa anyone?
Down:
1. Legs (it) : HOOFS. Archie Goodwin was always deciding to hoof it rather than getting the Heron from the garage.
2. Slip : ERROR.
3. Humbugs : LIARS. Humbug is a fun word.
4. Big ringer : GONG. There are t-shirts which say, "I have a really big Gong."
5. San __, Texas : ANGELO.
6. SLR buff : PHOTOG.
7. Mother of Judah : LEAH.
8. Paul's "The Prize" co-star : ELKE. Newman and Somer. The movie is based on an Irving Wallace novel about certain prize winners; I read most of his at the time. It also included Peter Sellers' future wife Britt Ekland as a nudist in an uncredited part where Paul must undress. Interestingly, the following year Sellers had a similar scene in a nudist colony with Elke Somer.
9. Convince not to : DISSUADE
10. Prankster's cry : GOTCHA.
11. Gawking, perhaps : LOOKING ON.
12. Gun designer __ Gal : UZI.
13. Porky's longtime voice : MEL.
21. It's on the road: TAR.
22. Last Stuart queen : ANNE. She succeeded William and Mary, her sister. She managed to be survived by no children despite 17 pregnancies. She seemed a pleasant woman. LINK.
26. Coat material : PAINT. A little Friday trickery.
27. Swampy area : FEN. and the clecho 29A. Swampy area : BOG.
28. Horseshoe-shaped letter : OMEGA. Ω.
30. Liquor-flavoring fruit : SLOE. Used with gin.
31. Rile : MIFF.
32. Woolf's "__ of One's Own" : A ROOM.
33. Source of extra spending money : TAX REFUND. Where you get your own money back to spend; how wonderful.
37. Place where three's a crowd : LOVESEAT. I love this clue/fill.
38. Snit cause : IRE. I do not like the clue.
39. Cricket __ : BAT.
41. Oktoberfest quaff : BIER.
44. Geography aids : GLOBES. Another Nero Wolfe related clue (if you are me)
45. Supplied in abundance : HEAPED.
46. Boat propeller : OAR. Har, har.
47. Creator of the language Newspeak : ORWELL. How cool is it that this clue from Nineteen Eighty-four is next to...
50. "On the Record" host Van Susteren : GRETA.
51. Pope's "__ Solitude" : ODE ON.
52. Gps. with similar goals : ASSNS.
54. Kitchen attachment : WARE. Kitchenware generates about 31,300,000 results
55. City seen from Presque Isle State Park : ERIE. Wow has this become the go to CSO or what?
56. Old sitcom redhead : OPIE. Ron Howard, they will never forget!
57. Hotel amenity : SPA. Is it an amenity if you have to pay extra?
58. Little : TAD. What a perfect place to end if we add an "A." TADA!
Well my time is done and now it is your turn. Have at it. Lemonade out.
